Dear Roomie (Rookie Rebels #5) - Kate Meader Page 0,25

anything, Mr. By-the-Rules wouldn’t dare.

There was something oddly affecting about his reaction to Bucky showing love with a face lick, like he wasn’t used to doggie joy. He seemed determined to make a go of this dog ownership thing, which was good because she might have a promising gig here. The only thing was to figure out a place to live. It was great to have a temporary reprieve but she’d have to come up with a solution for the next six weeks soon.

She pulled out a pair of leggings and one of Edie’s chunky sweaters, and headed out to the kitchen with Bucky following her.

Music: B-52s

Mood: Hungry

Mantra: Inhale, exhale

“How about lunch?” Bucky’s bowl was already full to the brim—Reid must have done that before she arrived. A little too much for a dog this size, so she scooped some of it back into the bag and gave her new roomie a bowl of fresh water before washing her hands and starting on her own. On her way over, she’d stopped at Aldi and picked up some sandwich supplies and a few boxes of cheap-ass Mac & Cheese, enough to tide her over for the next few days.

Chewing on her sandwich, she walked the space, opening doors and noseying about. In-unit washer-dryer—nice! The place was unnaturally clean, though, not even a hint of cut stubble in the bathroom sink. A top-of-the-line Dyson stood sentry in the closet along with plenty of earth-friendly cleaning supplies.

There was something obsessive about Reid. She imagined him cleaning like a freak after a bad game (or maybe after a good game, which might be the way he kept the endorphins flowing). People got their kicks all sorts of ways and while cleaning wasn’t one of hers, she knew it worked to appease the demons in some.

“Okay, my friend, it looks like we’re going to do that walk!”

Bucky looked up from his spot on the living room rug and raised an eyebrow as if to say “now, you’re ready?” In that moment, he looked just like Peanut. That same sense of weary acceptance of his human’s foibles.

Her heart squeezed in memory. Poor Peanut had loved hiding out in dark places, too, just like this character. She grabbed the leash, hoping to motivate him, when a text came in.

Hot Jerk: Is Bucky okay?

Aw, he couldn’t have even left town yet. This guy was in deep, which did a lot to soften those razor-sharp edges.

She took a pic of Bucky lying on the rug and sent it.

Kennedy: He’s worn out after lunch. Look at that cute face

Hot Jerk: Okay, thanks. Let me know if anything happens.

Kennedy: Sure. Break a leg!

Shit, that was for theater and probably not appropriate for hockey.

Kennedy: I meant good luck.

No response. Okay. She returned to the leash and gave it a shake. “Let’s go, Bucky!”

After a vigorous run around the park across from Reid’s apartment, where Bucky had cowered in the face of a particularly vociferous blackbird, Kennedy took a moment for her own calm. She had grabbed her yoga mat from her car, and now she rolled it out in a nice roomy spot in the living area and began her warm-up poses. This was usually the only thing that soothed her racing mind.

That, and sex. She would have to do something about that soon. She had gone a couple of months without, a long time for her. There had been a customer at the coffee shop, then a few weeks later, one of the art students she modeled for at the community college. She had no hang-ups about her body or about finding pleasure where she could. She took care of herself, never led anyone on, or made promises. Permanence was not her goal. For the last six years, she’d moved around and made friends all over the world, a network she could turn to in times of need.

Only she hadn’t maintained it properly here in Chicago as her efforts to find a place to live attested. She couldn’t leave just yet, not while Edie was going through this transition period. To be honest, it suited her. Sometimes, it was fine to take a breather, as long as she kept busy while doing it. Filling her time pushed away thoughts about the past or the future.

Music: Bon Iver

Mood: Serene

Mantra: I Am Here, I Am Now, I Am Enough

Scattering her worries to the corners of the sparse room, Kennedy focused on her body. Breathing deep, filtering out the negative. She caught Bucky’s (one)